Part-Time MBA Programs

Part-time programs offer MBA coursework through evening and weekend classes for students who don't want to take a two-year break from their career to pursue further study. Some programs offer the same amount of courses as full-time students while other reduce the time it takes to complete the degree by not offering the range of specialize majors.

While the majority of part-time MBA students continue with their existing employers after graduation, research shows that completing an MBA degree pays off well. In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Education for Business authors Mark Johnston, Keith Whittingham and Ronald Yeaple found that part-time MBA graduates achieved a median post-MBA pay raise at graduation of 41 percent over their pre-MBA pay and by the fifth year their pay had gone up another 56 percent.

Not as many scholarships are offered for part-time students but because many students are continuing with existing employers, in many cases employers offer some form of tuition reimbursement to encourage graduate level training.

Internship opportunities may be less extensive or not offered at all, as most candidates are working already. Depending on the program, students may have access to the same career placement services upon graduation as full-time students or there might be career counseling and placement services that are less extensive. Students who expect to be changing employers following completion of a part-time MBA degree should check with their school to see what kind of career placement services will be available to them.